Automatic calling telephone systems have been used, for example, by businesses to communicate with prospective and current customers. Current systems may include an automatic dialer that may automatically dial telephone numbers. Once a call connects, the system may play verbal messages or transmit digital data to the called party or an answering machine. Various other technologies, including voice modems or telephony boards, may be used by the calling system to contact many phone numbers simultaneously.
When a call is answered, these automated calling system may determine whether the call was answered by an answering machine or a live human voice. If the call is answered by an answering machine, the calling system may leave a message. If the call is answered by a person, the calling system may route the call to a customer service representative, and the customer service representative may proceed to interact with the person that answered the call. Often times, even when the call is answered by a person, the person is someone other than the customer that was intended to be reached. Hence, the customer service representative queries the person that answered the call to determine whether that person is the customer. If the person that answered the call is the customer, then the call may proceed as intended. Otherwise, a message may be left requesting a return phone call from the customer.